Portable thermal alarm and signal system



May 2, 1961 A. w. PIVETZ PORTABLE THERMAL ALARM AND SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed March 6, 1956 FIG.I.

o aa FIG.2.

INVENTOR ALBERT w. PIVETZ L ALARM AND SIGNAL SYSTEM Albert W. Pivetz, 135 Sterling Ave, Bulfalo, N.Y.

Filed Mar. 6, 1956, Ser. No. 569,864

1 Claim. (Cl. 340-227) PORTABLET blade thermostatic switch and a single visual and a single audible signal alarm. I

A signal device is presented which is of the simplest structure, and consequently the most inexpensive that can accomplish the achieved results.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a combined A.C. house-current and DC. battery current operated fire-alarm device which is operated on either the A.C. current alone, the DC. current alone, or on the combined AC. and DC. currents operating the device together at the same time.

In each instance of different current application the resulting signal produced will be of a different nature.

An objective of the invention is to provide a signal alarm which is visual in nature, as well as audible, when operated on the housecurrent. The front cover or the entire casing can be constructed of a transparent or translucent material, through which colored light, issuing from a an electric-light bulb, is caused to shine when the circuit is closed, producing a visual signal; The visual signal can be seen at a distance by persons of poor hearing. a

Another objective of the invention is to provide a signalalarm whichis intermittent in naturein the visual United States PatentO 'complished in this invention, utilizing a single bi-metallic V signal, and either intermittent or continuous in theaudiblcsignal. The intermittent or flashing light signal vis of a more attracting nature than a signal of a steady nature.

The D. C. current operating'in the device alone will result in a signal that is continuous in nature in the audible alarm means. The A.C. current operating in the device alone will result in a signal that is intermittent or broken innature in both the visual and audible alarm means.

' The,D.C. and AC. currents operating in the devicetogether and at thesame time will result in asignal that is intermittent in the, visual alarm means and continuous.

in the audible alarm means, r

The use of a single bi-metallic bladein the device perwhere the temperature is not raised asquicklyiby afire asatapointattheceiling. r

. 2' placing an external switch arrangement in parallel to the included switch by means of external connections.

Another objective of the device is to provide a portable call signal system in which the foregoing signal alarms are caused to be given by the inclusion in the device of a pushbutton-type of contact switch in parallel with the included or any external thermostatic switch.

A further objective of the invention is to providea'. device whereby the foregoing alarm signals can be caused to indicate a pre-determined cold temperature, This can be accomplished by reversal of the surface of'the' bimetallic blade facing the contact points, or by having the contact-points in a double-throw arrangement. f p

The following is a description of the device with reference to the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of the casing taken along reference line 1-1 of Fig. 2 and showing the included elements in place; also showing external connections.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the casing shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectiontaken along sectionline 3--3 of Fig. 1. This view shows double-contact points in proper position relative to the bi-metalllic blade.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the wiring arrangement in the device. V

The following is a description of the device as presented in the drawing:

A casing of any suitable material and shape, is shown here as .asolid shell of plastic material rectangular in shape; consisting of the following: the back wall 10; the top wall 11 drilled as at 20 to provide ventilation; side walls 12and.;13; and the bottom wall 14, drilled as at 21 to provide ventilation. i

The hanger 22 is here provided for hanging the'device on a wall.

Contained in the casing; the bell 26; the lamp base 36; the flasher element 35; the light bulb 27; the fuse 32;

the battery 24; the bi-rnetallic blade 25; contact block 31 and contact points 29; contact-point studs 28 with and attaching means.

, In the drilled holes in casing wall: rubber grommet 39 v "for line-cord 37; plug jacks for external connections 34;

adjusting screw 15; push-button assembly 42, 43, 44,45.

The battery 24 is held in place by block23 serving I "as the side support to hold the battery in position, the

block being held in position by screw 19 which also serves to'hold the bi-metallic blade-in place, The batteryterminal plate 38, held in place by screw 18, serves both as V the battery positive terminal and the top support to hold the'battery in place. a i I The bi-metallic blade 25 isjheld in'place by screw v 19 and serves as the negative terminal of battery 24.

The bi-metallic blade 25 makes contact with contact- 2 points 29 .attached to contact studs 28' which are of suitablemagnetic or non-magnetic conducting metal and whlch are in turn e in p i io 'by'block 31 of asuitable electrical insulating material. Block 31 is fastened to the back wall '10 or the side wall 13 by the fastening i screws 16 or '17. The four fastening nut's30 hold the studs 28 in place and serve as fasteners to hold the'wire connections 33A and 33B in contact with the studs as showninFig.3.

Anotherobjective of the invention is provid a 3'.

' alarm-device giving the foregoing signals when operated trom apoint outside the device, bythe inclusion of thef 7o same type of thermostatic switch in an outside :circuit as "ncluded 'within the casing. This is accomplished by,

h l 21 injthe bottom wall erne casing-1 ,1

'made of insulating materialfwhereby the" Fig.2 shows the thermostat 25 in place; provision I operat on, is provided by ventilation'tlnough openings Fig. 1 shows the adfsting'screw 15,l'which" I f 'atented May Z,

' nature. 7 reason, such as depletion of. thepower in the battery, the

metallic blade may be changed in position relative to the contact-points 29.

To permit flush mounting of the screw fasteners all holes are countersunk. If preferred, the mountings may be riveted.

The house-current line-cord enters the casing through the provided hole, the hole having rubber grommet 39 inserted into it for protection of the line-cord.

One side of the house current power from the linecord is connected to the fuse 32, the fuse being of a proper safety value. Other suitable current limiting means may be used in place of the fuse.

The other side of the house current power from'the line cord is connected to the lamp base 36 containing a light socket; the light socket holds flasher button 35; the light bulb 27, which is of wattage sufficient to provide limited current adequate to operate signal alarm 26, is

inserted in the lamp socket; from the other lamp base terminal the circuit is connect to the terminal 33B of contact stud 28 to which it is fastened by stud nut 30;

thence to one of the contact-points 29. When the circuit is closed by the application of heat to the included bimetallic blade 25, the current flows from one contactpoint 29 on stud 23 with terminal 333, through the bimetallic blade laterally to the other contact-point 29 on stud 28 with terminal 33A. The bi-metallic blade may -be solid or split in the center for part of its length.

From connection terminal 33A the circuit runs to terminal designated 26B of the included audible signal means, through the signal means to designated terminal 26A, thence the circuit is completed through fuse 32 to the line-cord 37 and the outside power source. All the foregoing elements are in series in the circuit. When this circuit is closed, the signals given will be intermittent in nature in both the visual and audible alarms.

The second, or battery circuit contained in the device, runs from the included battery 24 terminalin contact with positive battery terminal plate 38, held by mounting screw it to the designated audible signal means terrninal 26A, through the signal means to designated terminal 2613. From 26B the circuit runs to terminal 33A and connected contact-point 29, thence, when the circuit circuit and the D.C. battery current circuit, are in parallel through the bi-metallic blade, through contact-point and stud connected to terminal 33A, and through the audible signal means. i 1

Upon the application of house current and battery current at the same time to both circuits, the visual signal alarm will be operated by the house current and will be -of an intermittent or flashing nature. .The audible signal When the circuit is closed, the audible alarm will be operated by both type's'of current at the same time, the D.C. battery portion of. the current causing the alarm signal to be of a steady or continuous Should the D.C. current be terminated for any A.C. house current will continue to operate 'the audible alarm. The signal will automatically change from a continuous signal to one that is intermittent in nature.

The foregoing signal alarms can be causedto operate by closing the thermostatic switch manually by the pushbutton 42, consisting of insulated button 42, shaft 44,

top plate 45, and return spring '43. The p ushbutton The adjusting screw provides, a means for deter- -turning the adjusting screw inwardly ory'ou'twardly from a point outside the device; a meansis provided to determining the temperature of operation of the device. Upon mine at what temperature the device will operate. Where the fire-alarm is not placed near the ceiling, it is important to have the device regulated to operate at a lower temperature.

The device can be caused to operate by activation from a distance to give the foregoing signal alarms, by the inclusion of external thermostats or pushbutton means, as shown in Fig. 1. External thermostats 41, the same type as the included thermostat, operate in parallel with the included thermostat. Also in parallel, the threecontact pushbutton switch 40, as shown in Fig. 1, will operate the device in the same manner.

Referring to Fig. l, the center terminal of the external connection 34 is connected to terminal 263 of the audible signal means and is the common conductor connection for both external circuits. One of the remaining terminals of 34 serves as the extension terminal of the A.C. circuit. The third terminal of 34 serves as the extension terminal of the D.C. circuit, and is connected to the negative battery terminal.

. Whereas changes may be made in the details of construction by the inventor or assignee, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claim.

Having set forth and disclosed the nature of my invention, what is claimed is:

A portable signal system comprising: a casing; a linecord means to introduce A.C. electric current from outside to inside the said casing; an electric light bulb visual signal means in series with the said line-cord; a low voltage audible signal means in series with the visual signal means; said visual signal means being a current-limiting means for the low voltage audible signal means; said visual light-bulb signal means mounted in a suitable base into which is inserted a current-interrupting means to cause the visual signal to be of an intermittent nature; a thermostatic switch in series with the foregoing circuit and comprising the following: a bi-metallic blade fastened .at one end to the bottom of said casing and disposed immediately above an opening in the bottom of said casing; an insulating block mounted upwardly from a wall side face of said casing and directly above the free end of said bi-metallic blade and to serve as the mount for two separate insulated contact-points to which separate electrical contact-terminals are connected; both said contact-points mounted on the same face of said insulating block to face downwardly to the same side of said hime tallic blade and both at the same distance from the free end of said bi-metallie blade; and having an adjusting means for determining the relative distance between said bi-metallic blade and contact-points when the circuit is open; said adjusting means comprising a screw threaded 'through the bottom of said casing and in contact with the saidbi-metallicblade on side other than that facing said contact-points; said threaded screw providing, upon being turned inwardly or outwardly from a point outside the device, a means to control the degree of temperature at "which the device will be caused to operate on closing of -the circuit by the application of heat to the bi-metallic 60 blade to cause it to bend toward the said contact-points till it comes into circuit-closing contact; the current to pass from such engagement point to the said bi-metallic blade, through the blade laterally to the second said contact-point and terminal, from the second said contactpoint terminal to the said'audible signal means in series to the foregoing circuit; from the other terminal of said audible signal means to said outside line-cord; the operation of said circuit causing an alarm signal that is intermittent in nature in the visual signal and audible signal; and also included in the casing a second circuit compris- ,ing the following: a battery source ofelectric current to the terminal designated negative ofsaid audible signal means, through the audible signal means in series, to, the secondisaid terminal and contact-point; from the second said contact-point, upon closing of the circuit'when suflicient heat is applied to the said bi-metallic blade to cause circuit-closing engagement, through said bi-metallic blade longitudinally to the negative terminal of the included battery electric source located at the fixed end of said bi-metallic blade; the operation of said circuit causing 6 an audible alarm signal that is of a continuous nature.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,011,175 Egan Dec. 12, 1911 

